Carburetor control means for internal combustion engine



y 7, 1969 E. s. GOLLER 3,446,194

CARBURETOR CONTROL MEANS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed June 21, 1967 United States Patent O 3,446,194 CARBURETOR CONTROL MEANS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Edward S. Goller, 179 W. 50th St.,

San Bernardino, Calif. 92407 Filed June 21, 1967, Ser. No. 647,672

Int. Cl. F02m 3/06 US. Cl. 12397 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The set screw which adjusts the idling speed of an internal combustion engine is replaced by a solenoid having its armature normally extended to give the engine a fasterthan-normal idle. The armature is automatically withdrawn to give the engine a normal idle 3-10 seconds after accelerator pedal is released to slow engine so that engine is given extra air for a few seconds after deceleration is initiated for the purpase of minimizing air pollution during deceleration, by combusting raw fuel which hangs on carburetor and intake manifold walls when butterfly valve is suddenly closed to decelerate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The background of the invention is set forth in two parts:

Field of the invention The present invention relates generally to the field of carburetor control means for internal combustion engines and more particularly to means for automatically holding the carburetors butterfly valve open a predetermined amount for a few seconds after deceleration is initiated.

Description of the prior art Automobiles conventionally employ a butterfly valve in a carburetor to control flow of fuel to the automobiles engine. Upon deceleration, this butterfly valve is suddenly closed resulting in raw fuel being sucked into the engine. This raw fuel is not burned properly resulting in increased air pollution during deceleration.

Summary of the invention In view of the foregoing, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide means for automatically holding the butterfly valve open for a few seconds after deceleration is initiated to admit air into the carburetor downstream of the butterfly valve for forming a combustible mixture with the raw fuel hanging on the walls of the carburetor and intake manifold.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a solenoid-operated stop means for positioning the linkage on a carburetor electrically in a faster-than-normal idling position and a normal idling position.

According to the present invention, an internal combustion engine having a carburetor including a butterfly valve rod and linkage means controlling the angular position of the rod is provided with means for automatically controlling the angular position of the rod to automatically control the idling rate of the engine.

Stop means in the form of an armature of a solenoid is reciprocally mounted in operative association with the carburetor linkage means. The stop means has a first position for positioning the linkage means so as to cause the engine to idle at a first rate and a second position positioning the linkage means so as to cause the engine to idle at a second rate.

First means are connected to the stop means for normally maintaining the stop means in one of these positions and second means are connected to the stop means 3,446,194 Patented May 27, 1969 for reciprocating the stop means to the when actuated.

Actuating means are connected to the second means for automatically actuating the second means when the operation of the internal combustion engine is changed in a predetermined manner.

The first means may comprise a compression spring biasing the armature to the first position and the second other position means may comprise the coil of the solenoid which withdraws the armature when energized.

The actuating means comprises an electrical circuit which includes a switch. In automobiles having automatic transmissions, the switch is moved to a closed position by a special cam aflixed to the butterfly valve rod so that the cam will close the switch when the butterfly valve is rotated to a closed position. In clutch-operated transmissions, the switch is closed by the clutch pedal. The electrical circuit also includes a time-delay relay which energizes the solenoid coil 3-10 seconds after the switch has been closed.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together With further objects and advantages thereof, will be readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like elements in the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a partial perspective view of an internal combustion engine in combination with a carburetor control means of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a wiring diagram of the circuit for the control means, which is shown schematically;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a clutch having a fluid switch connected to a modified control means, shown schematically; and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view similar to FIGURE 3 showing a clutch in combination with a mechanical switch connected to another modified control means, shown schematically.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERED EMBODIMENT Referring again to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURES l and 2, a means for automatically controlling the idling rate in an internal combustion engine constituting a first embodiment of the present invention, generally designated 10, is shown in combination with an internal combustion engine 12 including a carburetor 14 having a butterfly valve 16.

The butterfly valve 16 is swingably mounted in carburetor 14 by a rod 18 having a free end 20 extending exteriorly of carburetor 14. The butterfly valve 16 is positioned within carburetor 14 by a conventional linkage means, generally designated 22, which includes a first crank arm 24 having a first end 26 aflixed to rod 18 for imparting rotation thereto and a second end 28 which is provided with an aperture 30. The linkage means 22 also includes a second crank 32 swingably mounted on carburetor 14 by a fixed pin 34 engaged in an aperture 36 provided in crank 32 intermediate its first end 38 and its second end 40. The end 40 is provided with an aperture 42 receiving a first end 44 of a link 46 having a second end 48 seated in aperture 30 on crank 26 for transmitting swinging movements from crank 32 to crank 26 to rotate rod 18 and position butterfly valve 16. The crank 32 is biased for rotation in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 1, by a spring 50 having a first end 52 connected to end 38 of crank 32 and a second end 54 anchored to engine 12. The crank 32 may be rotated in .3 a clockwise direction by an accelerator-pedal link 56 having a first end 58 connected to end 41) of crank 32 by a bracket 61 The link 56 includes a second end (not shown) which may be connected to a conventional accelerator pedal (not shown) for operating butterfly valve 16 in conventional manner.

It is well known that the angular position of rod 18 determines the rate at which engine 12 will normally idle. This position is usually established by a set screw (not shown) which engages a bracket 62 carried by end 40 of crank 32 when spring 50 rotates crank 32 in a counterclockwise direction.

The means of the present invention replaces this conventional set screw and automatically controls the idling rate of engine 12 in such a manner that a fasterthan-normal idling rate automatically ensues after engine 12 has first been accelerated to at least 15 mph. by link 56 and then decelerated by releasing link 56 to decelerate engine 12. Means 10 automatically holds crank 32 in position for this 'faster-than-normal idling rate for a few seconds (3-10) during deceleration and then releases crank 32 so that it is free to move in a counterclockwise direction under the influence of spring to a normal-idlingrate position.

The means 10 includes a solenoid 64 which is afiixed to engine 12 by a bracket 66 adjacent crank 32. Solenoid 64 includes a housing 68 in which an armature 70 is reciprocally mounted. The solenoid 64 also includes an electrical coil 72 which is connected in an electrical circuit 74 by a pair of leads 76, 78. The armature 70 is biased to an extended position, as shown in broken lines in FIGURE 1, by a compression spring having one end bearing against end wall 84 of housing 66 and a second end 86 bearing against an enlarged head 88 on armature 70. The extended position of armature '70 pushes bracket 62 against the force exerted by spring 50 to rotate the crank 32 in a clockwise direction sufliciently that rod 18 will be moved to a predetermined angular position opening butterfly valve 16 causing engine 12 to run at a predetermined, faster-than-normal rate (about 15 mph.) for the purpose of giving engine 12 extra air during deceleration.

Armature 70 may be retracted from its extended, broken line position by closing circuit 74 causing current to flow through leads 76, '78.

The circuit 74 includes a normally-open switch 90 which is mounted on carburetor 14 adjacent the free end 28 of rod 18. The switch 91) includes a toggle 92 extending into the path of travel of a lobe 94 provided on a cam 96 carried by rod 18 for rotation thereby. The lobe 94 is designed to contact toggle 92 and close switch 90 when the angular position of rod 18 is such that engine 12 will idle at approximately 15 mph. and maintain toggle 92 in a closed position until engine 12 is again accelerated to a speed above 15 mph The coil 72 is prevented from becoming energized for a predetermined length of time after switch 90 is closed (3-10 seconds) by a time-delay relay 98 having a heater 101) and a pair of normally open contacts 102, 104. The heater is connected to lead 76 on coil 72 by a lead 105 and to an electrical supply header 106 by a lead 108. The lead 76 is connected to a contact 110 in switch 90 by a lead 112 and the header 106 is connected to contact 1112 by a lead 114. The contact 104 is connected to the lead 78 on coil 72 by a lead 116 and the toggle 92 in switch 99 is connected to an electricalsupply header 118 by a contact 120.

When switch 98 is closed, a circuit is completed through header 118, contact 120, toggle 92 contact 110, lead 112, lead '76, lead 105, heater 1%, lead 108 and header 106. After about 3-10 seconds, heater 1% closes contacts 102, 164 completing a circuit through leads 114, 116 and '78 to coil '72 energizing it. This draws armature 78 to its retracted, solid-line position permitting spring and linkage means 22 to set the angular position of rod 18 to give engine 12 a normal idling speed.

This speed will prevail until cam 96 is rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 1, by linkage means 22 suificiently to accelerate engine 12 to at least 15 mph. whereupon lobe 94 is brought out of contact with toggle 92 breaking the circuit to coil 72 so that spring 80 will move armature 70 to its extended, brokenline position.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the engine 12 is given extra air for a few seconds (approximately 3-10 seconds) after deceleration is initiated for the purpose of minimizing air pollution during deceleration by forming a combustible mixture with the raw gas which accumulates in the carburetor and intake manifold downstream of the butterfly valve when it is suddenly moved toward a closed position to initiate deceleration.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, the switch 90 and cam 94 may be replaced by a switch 90a comprising a fluid switch which is connected to an hydraulic clutch actuator 122 having a first cylinder 124 connected to a clutch pedal 126 by a piston rod 128. The actuator 122 includes a second cylinder 130 having a piston rod 132 connected to a clutch plate 134 by a linkage means 136. The switch 90a is included in a modified circuit 741: which may be identical to the circuit 7-4 except that the switch 90 is replaced by the switch 90a.

Referring now to FIGURE 4, the switch 90 may also be replaced by a switch 90b which is a normally-open mechanical switch having a button 92b which may be depressed by a clutch pedal 138. The clutch pedal 138 is mounted on a rocker shaft 140 and is connected to a clutch plate 142 by linkage means 144. The switch 9% is included in a circuit 74b which may be identical to the circuit '74 except that the switch 90 is replaced by the switch 90b.

In the embodiments of the invention shown in FIG- URES 3 and 4, it is apparent that the engine -12 will be maintained at a faster-than-normal idle until the clutch pedals 126, 138, respectively, are depressed.

While the particular means for automatically holding an internal combustion engines butterfly valve slightly open during deceleration which are herein shown and described in detail are fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that they are merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims, forming a part of this specification.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a carburetor including a butterfly valve rod and linkage means controlling the angular position of said rod for causing said engine to idle at a predetermined rate, means for automatically controlling said rate, comprising:

stop means reciprocally mounted on operative association with said linkage means, said stop means having a first position for positioning said rod so as to cause said engine to idle at a first rate and a second position for positioning said rod so as to cause said engine to idle at a second rate, said stop means comprising a solenoid armature;

first means connected to said stop means for normally maintaining said stop means in one of said positions;

second means connected to said stop means for reciprocating said stop means to the other of said positions when actuated; and

actuating means connected to said second means for automatically actuating said second means when the operation of said internal combustion engine is changed in a predetermined manner.

2. A combination as stated in claim 1 wherein said first means comprises a compression spring urging said armature outwardly to an extended position.

3. A combination as stated in claim 2 wherein said second means comprises a solenoid coil for drawing said armature inwardly to a retracted position when said coil is energized.

4. A combination as stated in claim 3 wherein said actuating means comprises an electrical circuit connected to said coil for energizing it.

5. A combination as stated in claim 4 wherein said electrical circuit includes a switch and wherein said actuating means includes means for automatically closing said switch when said engine is decelerated.

6. A combination as stated in claim 5 wherein said automatic closing means comprises a clutch pedal.

7. A combination as stated in claim 5 wherein said automatic closing means is a cam on said butterfly valve rod.

8. A combination as stated in claim 5 wherein said automatic closing means comprises fluid pressure generated by a fluid-clutch actuator.

MEYER PERLIN, Primary Examiner. 

